Rosetta Stone (opinions)

[Rores28]

I've been considering buying Rosetta Stone (French if that makes a difference) and wanted to hear some feedback from anyone else who may have used it.

I want to learn French because I have some notion of perhaps later in life living either in France or Belgium and because I do have a desire to read some of the French greats in their native tongue. I took French in high school and so have some sort of foundation which I have forgotten but which I suspect to come back pretty quickly once I start re-studying it. My g/f would also be using this and has never taken French in her life.

So has anyone used it, is it as good as I always hear about?

Does anyone know where I can procure it more cheaply?
It looks like there are some sellers on ebay who post it for $599.99
while the official site, amazon, and BandN all have it listed at 629.99.

Also is there any way to get it for free? Library etc...??

Thanks in advance.

[Emil Miller]

I've been considering buying Rosetta Stone (French if that makes a difference) and wanted to hear some feedback from anyone else who may have used it.

I want to learn French because I have some notion of perhaps later in life living either in France or Belgium and because I do have a desire to read some of the French greats in their native tongue. I took French in high school and so have some sort of foundation which I have forgotten but which I suspect to come back pretty quickly once I start re-studying it. My g/f would also be using this and has never taken French in her life.

So has anyone used it, is it as good as I always hear about?

Does anyone know where I can procure it more cheaply?
It looks like there are some sellers on ebay who post it for $599.99
while the official site, amazon, and BandN all have it listed at 629.99.

Also is there any way to get it for free? Library etc...??

Thanks in advance.

I have seen it advertised and it looks quite professional but I haven't used it.
I think you have the right idea about learning French in your home country before going to live in the country concerned, which is what I did with German. Once you have a basic idea of the language, you can soon enlarge your vocabulary and quickly get to grips with the grammar, although there will usually be colloquialisms that may prove difficult.
You mentioned Belgium as a possible place of residence but it may not exist by the time you go there. The recent elections in that country were won by a party whose professed aim is the gradual break-up of the Flemish/Walloon parts of the country; thereby ending the enforced unification by Britain following the Napoleonic wars.

[kiki1982]

Yes, it depends wehre you want to live in Belgium. Anything to the north, east and west of Brussels apart from the south is Dutch-speaking, and, as Brian Bean said, they will not tolerate you speaking French. I can know it as I am one of the Flemish. But why don't you go to France for a while (after having acquired enough of a basic knowledge)? That'll certainly boost your French. Reading is also a good idea. Asterix was originally written in French and for children. You don't need a lot of French to read it, but it boost your self-confidence in the language.

Off-topic about Belgium now:

It will still take an awfully long time before they do actually split, although that is the desire of that party which has won the election in the northern part alone (people in the south cannot vote for that particular party). So the term 'won' is also a relative idea. Let's say they 'won' with a percentage of 25-30% overall max. The big problem for the NV-A (that is what the party is called, it stands for New Flemish Alliance, resulting from a split in the the late 90s of a party VolksUnie (People's Union) which had a more liberal and a more right-wing section, NV-A being the right-wing) is Brussels. A major economic force for the whole population. The middle of the country up to Antwerp to the north, Ghent to the east, Wallonia to the south and Genk (or further) to the west, works there, so giving it up would be a huge loss as they would lose a lot of tax money. The Walloons, no need to say it, claim it on the grounds (rightly) that it is virtually French speaking with a 20% minority of Dutch-speakers. And also of course because they see the money too. But, if they split and take Brussels with them (either of them), then Europe will leave as it cannot be seen in a place which has no status, because nor a Flemish state nor a Walloon one would be formally part of the EU after declaring their own independence. Yet, the EU is one of the greatest, if not the greatest incentive in Brussels as it attracts the civil servants wo need a place to live and have a lot of money to spend, but also other companies for their headquarters to the city with its prestige alne. And now let there be the coincidence of a ready parliament in Strassburg adn the French willing to receive everyone handsomely. I think it's a game of 'who will blink first'.

[Emil Miller]

This is also off-topic, but since the question has been raised, I realise that there are many obstacles to the eventual break-up of Belgium. However, like all arbitrarily constructed amalgamations, they are built on sand and will eventually revert to their natural state. We have seen this already in the former Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia as well as in the UK with separate assemblies for Scotland and Wales. Fragmentation in the former Soviet Union is also noteworthy.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I've briefly looked at the Rosetta Stone in my continual mission to learn French, but have heard that it is not worth the price - it is out of my price range at those figures anyway. I think the best way to learn is to get on a short course somewhere if that is possible. I think that's what I'll do when I finish my degree, good luck anyway.

I'm shocked to learn of the stuff going of in my beloved Belgium, I'll have to read more about that later.